the water-babies-第25章

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en　I　was　quite　a　young　girl；　the　land　rocked；　and　the　sea　boiled；　and　the　sky　grew　dark；　and　all　the　air　was　filled　with　smoke　and　dust；　and　down　tumbled　the　old　Gairfowlskerry　into　the　sea。　　The　dovekies　and　marrocks；　of　course；　all　flew　away；　but　we　were　too　proud　to　do　that。　　Some　of　us　were　dashed　to　pieces；　and　some　drowned；　and　those　who　were　left　got　away　to　Eldey；　and　the　dovekies　tell　me　they　are　all　dead　now；　and　that　another　Gairfowlskerry　has　risen　out　of　the　sea　close　to　the　old　one；　but　that　it　is　such　a　poor　flat　place　that　it　is　not　safe　to　live　on：　　and　so　here　I　am　left　alone。〃

This　was　the　Gairfowl's　story；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　it　is　every　word　of　it　true。

〃If　you　only　had　had　wings！〃　said　Tom；　〃then　you　might　all　have　flown　away　too。〃

〃Yes；　young　gentleman：　　and　if　people　are　not　gentleman　and　ladies；　and　forget　that　NOBLESSE　OBLIGE；　they　will　find　it　as　easy　to　get　on　in　the　world　as　other　people　who　don't　care　what　they　do。　　Why；　if　I　had　not　recollected　that　NOBLESSE　OBLIGE；　I　should　not　have　been　all　alone　now。〃　　And　the　poor　old　lady　sighed。

〃How　was　that；　ma'am？〃

〃Why；　my　dear；　a　gentleman　came　hither　with　me；　and　after　we　had　been　here　some　time；　he　wanted　to　marry　…　in　fact；　he　actually　proposed　to　me。　　Well；　I　can't　blame　him；　I　was　young；　and　very　handsome　then；　I　don't　deny：　　but　you　see；　I　could　not　hear　of　such　a　thing；　because　he　was　my　deceased　sister's　husband；　you　see？〃

〃Of　course　not；　ma'am；〃　said　Tom；　though；　of　course；　he　knew　nothing　about　it。　　〃She　was　very　much　diseased；　I　suppose？〃

〃You　do　not　understand　me；　my　dear。　　I　mean；　that　being　a　lady；　and　with　right　and　honourable　feelings；　as　our　house　always　has　had；　I　felt　it　my　duty　to　snub　him；　and　howk　him；　and　peck　him　continually；　to　keep　him　at　his　proper　distance；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　once　pecked　him　a　little　too　hard；　poor　fellow；　and　he　tumbled　backwards　off　the　rock；　and　…　really；　it　was　very　unfortunate；　but　it　was　not　my　fault　…　a　shark　coming　by　saw　him　flapping；　and　snapped　him　up。　And　since　then　I　have　lived　all　alone　…


'With　a　fal…lal…la…lady。'


And　soon　I　shall　be　gone；　my　little　dear；　and　nobody　will　miss　me；　and　then　the　poor　stone　will　be　left　all　alone。〃

〃But；　please；　which　is　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall？〃　said　Tom。

〃Oh；　you　must　go；　my　little　dear　…　you　must　go。　　Let　me　see　…　I　am　sure　…　that　is　…　really；　my　poor　old　brains　are　getting　quite　puzzled。　　Do　you　know；　my　little　dear；　I　am　afraid；　if　you　want　to　know；　you　must　ask　some　of　these　vulgar　birds　about；　for　I　have　quite　forgotten。〃

And　the　poor　old　Gairfowl　began　to　cry　tears　of　pure　oil；　and　Tom　was　quite　sorry　for　her；　and　for　himself　too；　for　he　was　at　his　wit's　end　whom　to　ask。

But　by　there　came　a　flock　of　petrels；　who　are　Mother　Carey's　own　chickens；　and　Tom　thought　them　much　prettier　than　Lady　Gairfowl；　and　so　perhaps　they　were；　for　Mother　Carey　had　had　a　great　deal　of　fresh　experience　between　the　time　that　she　invented　the　Gairfowl　and　the　time　that　she　invented　them。　　They　flitted　along　like　a　flock　of　black　swallows；　and　hopped　and　skipped　from　wave　to　wave；　lifting　up　their　little　feet　behind　them　so　daintily；　and　whistling　to　each　other　so　tenderly；　that　Tom　fell　in　love　with　them　at　once；　and　called　them　to　know　the　way　to　Shiny　Wall。

〃Shiny　Wall？　　Do　you　want　Shiny　Wall？　　Then　come　with　us；　and　we　will　show　you。　　We　are　Mother　Carey's　own　chickens；　and　she　sends　us　out　over　all　the　seas；　to　show　the　good　birds　the　way　home。〃

Tom　was　delighted；　and　swam　off　to　them；　after　he　had　made　his　bow　to　the　Gairfowl。　　But　she　would　not　return　his　bow：　　but　held　herself　bolt　upright；　and　wept　tears　of　oil　as　she　sang：


〃And　so　the　poor　stone　was　left　all　alone；　With　a　fal…lal…la…lady。〃


But　she　was　wrong　there；　for　the　stone　was　not　left　all　alone：　　and　the　next　time　that　Tom　goes　by　it；　he　will　see　a　sight　worth　seeing。

The　old　Gairfowl　is　gone　already：　　but　there　are　better　things　come　in　her　place；　and　when　Tom　comes　he　will　see　the　fishing…smacks　anchored　there　in　hundreds；　from　Scotland；　and　from　Ireland；　and　from　the　Orkneys；　and　the　Shetlands；　and　from　all　the　Northern　ports；　full　of　the　children　of　the　old　Norse　Vikings；　the　masters　of　the　sea。　　And　the　men　will　be　hauling　in　the　great　cod　by　thousands；　till　their　hands　are　sore　from　the　lines；　and　they　will　be　making　cod…liver　oil　and　guano；　and　salting　down　the　fish；　and　there　will　be　a　man…of…war　steamer　there　to　protect　them；　and　a　lighthouse　to　show　them　the　way；　and　you　and　I；　perhaps；　shall　go　some　day　to　the　Allalonestone　to　the　great　summer　sea…fair；　and　dredge　strange　creatures　such　as　man　never　saw　before；　and　we　shall　hear　the　sailors　boast　that　it　is　not　the　worst　jewel　in　Queen　Victoria's　crown；　for　there　are　eighty　miles　of　codbank；　and　food　for　all　the　poor　folk　in　the　land。　　That　is　what　Tom　will　see；　and　perhaps　you　and　I　shall　see　it　too。　　And　then　we　shall　not　be　sorry　because　we　cannot　get　a　Gairfowl　to　stuff；　much　less　find　gairfowl　enough　to　drive　them　into　stone　pens　and　slaughter　them；　as　the　old　Norsemen　did；　or　drive　them　on　board　along　a　plank　till　the　ship　was　victualled　with　them；　as　the　old　English　and　French　rovers　used　to　do；　of　whom　dear　old　Hakluyt　tells：　　but　we　shall　remember　what　Mr。　Tennyson　says：　　how


〃The　old　order　changeth；　giving　place　to　the　new；　And　God　fulfils　himself　in　many　ways。〃


And　now　Tom　was　all　agog　to　start　for　Shiny　Wall；　but　the　petrels　said　no。　　They　must　go　first　to　Allfowlsness；　and　wait　there　for　the　great　gathering　of　all　the　sea…birds；　before　they　start　for　their　summer　breeding…places　far　away　in　the　Northern　Isles；　and　there　they　would　be　sure　to　find　some　birds　which　were　going　to　Shiny　Wall：　　but　where　Allfowlsness　was；　he　must　promise　never　to　tell；　lest　men　should　go　there　and　shoot　the　birds；　and　stuff　them；　and　put　them　into　stupid　museums；　instead　of　leaving　them　to　play　and　breed　and　work　in　Mother　Carey's　water…garden；　where　they　ought　to　be。

So　where　Allfowlsness　is　nobody　must　know；　and　all　that　is　to　be　said　about　it　is；　that　Tom　waited　there　many　days；　and　as　he　waited；　he　saw　a　very　curious　sight。　　On　the　rabbit　burrows　on　the　shore　there　gathered　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　hoodie…crows；　such　as　you　see　in　Cambridgeshire。　　And　they　made　such　a　noise；　that　Tom　came　on　shore　and　went　up　to　see　what　was　the　matter。

And　there　he　found　them　holding　their　great　caucus；　which　they　hold　every　year　in　the　North；　and　all　their　stump…orators　were　speechifying；　and　for　a　tribune；　the　speaker　stood　on　an　old　sheep's　skull。

And　they　cawed　and　cawed；　and　boasted　of　all　the　clever　things　they　had　done；　how　many　lambs'　eyes　they　had　picked　out；　and　how　many　dead　bullocks　they　had　eaten；　and　how　many　young　grouse　they　had　swallowed　whole；　and　how　many　grouse…eggs　they　had　flown　away　with；　stuck　on　the　point　of　their　bills；　which　is　the　hoodie…crow's　particularly　clever　feat；　of　which　he　is　as　proud　as　a　gipsy　is　of　doing　the　hokany…baro；　and　what　that　is；　I　won't　tell　you。

And　at　last　they　brought　out　the　prettiest；　neatest　young　lady…crow　that　ever　was　seen；　and　set　her　in　the　middle；　and　all　began　abusing　and　vilifying；　and　rating；　and　bullyragging　at　her；　because　she　had　stolen　no　grouse…eggs；　and　had　actually　dared　to　say　that　she　would　not　steal　any。　　So　she　was　to　be　tried　publicly　by　their　laws　（for　the　hoodies　always　try　some　offenders　in　their　great　yearly　parliament）。　　And　there　she　stood　in　the　middle；　in　her　black　gown　and　gray　hood；　looking　as　meek　and　as　neat　as　a　Quakeress；　and　they　all　bawled　at　her　at　once　…

And　it　was　in　vain　that　she　pleaded　…


That　she　did　not　like　grouse…eggs；　That　she　could　get　her　living　very　well　without　them；　That　she　was　afraid　to　eat　them；　for　fear　of　the　gamekeepers；　That　she　had　not　the　heart　to　eat　them；　because　the　grouse　were　such　pretty；　kind；　jolly　birds；　And　a　dozen　reasons　more。


For　all　the　other　scaul…crows　set　upon　her；　and　pecked　her　to　death　there　and　then；　before　Tom　could　come　to　help　her；　and　then　flew　away；　very　proud　of　what　they　had　done。

Now；　was　not　this　a　scandalous　transaction？

But　they　are　true　republicans；　these　hoodies；　who　do　every　one　just　what　he　likes；　and　make　other　people　do　so　too；　so　that；　for　any　freedom　of　speech；　thought；　or　action；　which　is　allowed　among　them；　they　might　as　well　be　American　citizens　of　the　new　school。

But　the　fairies　took　the　good　crow；　and　gave　her　nine　new　sets　of　feathers　running；　and　turned　her　at　last　into　the　most　beautiful　bird　of　paradise　with　a　green　velvet　suit　and　a　long　tail；　and　sent　her　to　eat　fruit　in　the　Spice　Islands；　where　cloves　and　nutmegs　grow。

And　Mrs。　Bedonebyasyoudid　settled　her　account　with　the　wicked　hoodies。　　For；　as　they　flew　away；　what　should　they　find　but　a　nasty　dead　dog？　…　on　which　they　all　set　to　work；　peeking　and　gobbling　and　cawing　and　quarrelling　to　their　hearts'　content。　　But　the　moment　afterwards；　they　all　threw　up　their　bills　into　the　air；　and　gave　one　screech；　and　then　turned　head　over　heels　backward；　and　fell　down　dead；　one　hundred　and　twenty…three　of　them　at　once。　　For　why？　The　fairy　had　told　the　gamekeeper　in　a　dream；　to　fill　the　dead　dog　full　of　strychnine；　and　so　he　did。

And　after　a　while　the　birds　began　to　gather　at　Allfowlsness；　in　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands；　blackening　all　the　air；　swans　and　brant　geese；　harlequins　and　eiders；　harolds　and　garganeys；　smews　and　goosanders；　divers　and　loons；　grebes　and　dovekies；　auks　and　razor…bills；　gannets　and　petrels；　skuas　and　terns；　with　gulls　beyond　all　naming　or　numbering；　and　they　paddled　and　washed　and　splashed　and　combed　and　brushed　themselves　on　the　sand；　till　the　shore　was　white　with　feathers；　and　they　quacked　and　clucked　and　gabbled　and　chattered　and　screamed　and　whooped　as　they　talked　over　matters　with　their　friends；　and　settled　where　they　were　to　go　and　breed　that　summer；　till　you　might　have　heard　them　ten　miles　off；　and　lucky　it　was　for　them　that　there　was　no　one　to　hear　them　but　the　old　keeper；　who　lived　all　alone　upon　the　Ness；　in　a　turf　hut　thatched　with　heather　and　fringed　round　with　great　stones　slung　across　the　roof　by　bent…ropes；　lest　the　winter　gales　should　blow　the　hut　right　away。　　But　he　never　minded　the　birds　nor　hurt　them；　because　they　were　not　in　season；　indeed；　he　minded　but　two　things　in　the　whole　world；　and　those　were；　his　Bible　and　his　grouse；　for　he　was　as　good　an　old　Scotchman　as　ever　knit　stockings　on　a　winter's　night：　　only；　when　all　the　birds　were　going；　he　toddled　out；　and　took　off　his　cap　to　them；　and　wished　them　a　merry　journey　and　a　safe　return；　and　then　gathered　up　all　the　feathers　which　they　had　left；　and　cleaned　them　to　sell　down　south；　and　make　feather…　beds　for　stuffy　people　to　lie　on。

Then　the　petrels　asked　this　bird　and　that　whether　they　would　take　Tom　to　Shiny　Wall：　　but　one　set　was　going　to　Sutherland；　and　one　to　the　Shetlands；　and　one　to　Norway；　and　one　to　Spitzbergen；　and　one　to　Iceland；　and　one　to　Greenland：　　but　none　would　go　to　Shiny　Wall。　So　the　good…natured　petrels　said　that　they　would　show　him　part　of　the　way　themselves；　but　they　were　only　going　as　far　as　Jan　Mayen's　Land；　and　after　that　he　must　shift　for　himself。

And　then　all　the　birds　rose　up；　and　streamed　away　in　long　black　lines；　north；　and　north…east；